Wookiee Hut Cuisine presents: Buttercream: Best Part of the Cake by SuSu Young Jysella Horn was in a bad temper, and told her father that he was NOT invited to her birthday party! Mirax refused to intervene in the traditional sense, and instead opted to ask her daughter how she intended manage to get the cake of her dreams if Daddy didn't make it? Seems Dad's speciality was the BEST part of any child's birthday cake -- not a cake per se, but all luscious buttercream frosting! Many people would overboil the syrup and it would turn out grainy. Or they'd get the butter too warm and it would melt and separate and make the frosting greasy. Corran Horn simply followed his grandmother's instructions. His grandmother -- his mother's mother -- knew all sorts of tips and tricks to make the most elegant headaches come off like a charm, recipes included. You do the same, and Jysella will always beg you to come to her party! 600 g butter (about 5 sticks) 300 g sugar (about 1¼ cup) 100 ml water (about ½ cup) 1 teaspoon corn syrup 6 egg yolks Beat the butter till it's softened to room temp without melting or separating, and is fluffy and lighter in color than before. Set aside in a cool place (not the refrigerator) -- not in a warm place, where it will melt. In a heavy-bottomed pot, place sugar, corn syrup, and water without stirring until it comes to a boil. Cook further without shaking the pan till it reaches the soft ball stage (238°F / 114°C to 248°F / 120°C using a candy thermometer). Using your stand mixer or electric beater, or even a whisk, whip the egg yolks together very well until they are pale and aerated. Then slowly add the hot sugar into the yolks in a slow, steady stream. Try not to splash the cold sides of the bowl or the whisk with the hot syrup -- it might crystallize. When all incorporated, whip the mixture together till smooth and cool, this takes about 10 minutes. Add the beaten, softened (but still unmelted) butter a little at a time, and beat after every addition, until the entire mixture is smooth. Flavor as desired. Makes about 5 to 6 cups of frosting. Notes: This is a VERY rich frosting and should be used sparingly to cover or fill a cake. Be sure to cover and refrigerate a cake frosted with buttercream for storing, but it should be removed and allowed to sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving. FLAVORINGS -- all additions are "to taste" Vanilla Buttercream: Add about a teaspoon to a tablespoon of a good quality vanilla extract after the butter is beaten into the mixture. Mocha Buttercream: Make a paste of 1 teaspoon to a tablespoon of freeze-dried powdered instant coffee with a few drops of water. Beat in after the butter is incorporated. Cocoa Buttercream: Add about ¼ cup Dutch-process cocoa powder after the egg yolks are combined with the sugar syrup. Disclaimer: All content is made up, and no profit or lucre is expected, solicited, advocated or paid. This is all just for fun. Any comments, please e-mail the author or WOOKIEEhut directly. Flames will be ignored. Characters and situations are based on those which are the property of LucasFilms Ltd., Bantam Publishing, Random House, and their respective original owners and developers. The rest is this story's author's own fault. This story may not be posted anywhere without the author's knowledge, consent, and permission. This recipe is provided "as is," and neither Wookieehut nor any person associated with the website is responsible for any success or failure of the recipe, nor any implied effects. If there are questions, please email the author.